Such a three-wheeled transport carriage is, for instance, known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,237 or U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,939. Here, a frame bracket extending obliquely from the handle to the front wheel in the operating position is provided, at the front end of which the front wheel is attached while the two rear wheels are supported via struts on the oblique frame bracket. For collapsing, the struts are folded to the frame bracket and the rear wheels are pivoted in the plane of the frame bracket while the front wheel which lies, in the operating position, with its rotational axis approximately in the plane of the frame bracket is pivoted transversely to the driving direction and then folded in the plane of the frame bracket. This construction is especially suitable as a jogging scooter, but is also intended to be used for transport purposes, for instance, as a transport carriage for golf bags.
It is an object of the invention to develop a transport carriage of the initially-mentioned kind such that it is adapted in particular for the transport of golf bags and has a simple construction easy to collapse.
In accordance with the invention this object is solved by a three-wheeled transport carriage, in particular for a golf bag.
There is provided a three-wheeled transport carriage, in particular for a golf bag, comprising:                a first elongated frame part having at one end thereof,        a second elongated frame part hinged thereto with an end thereof, which second elongated frame part can be pivoted relative to the first frame part,        and at the free end of which a front wheel is pivotally attached via a wheel holding bracket with a pivot axis by which the wheel plane is pivotable about approximately 90°,        wherein the two rear wheels are hinged in a pivotal manner to the end regions of an elongated cross-member, the elongated cross-member being arranged in the hinge region between the first frame part and the second frame part, such that the wheel plane can be pivoted from a position approximately perpendicular to the cross-member to a position approximately parallel to the cross-member, and vice versa.        
Due to the fact that only two frame parts which are positioned at an angle relative to each other in the operating position are folded, wherein the rear wheels are folded in the frame plane and the front wheel is only twisted in the plane of the frame parts, there results a simple structure with easy handling during collapsing and unfolding while the weight of the transport carriage can also be kept low.
Advantageously, the rear wheels are hinged by guide rods between the free end of the first or second frame parts and axle beams of the rear wheels such that on pivoting of the frame parts relative to each other the plane of the rear wheels is pivoted about approximately 90° relative to the cross-member. As a result of this, the rear wheels are automatically pivoted to the carrying or operating position when the frame parts are pivoted relative to each other.
The cross-member may be connected rigidly with the first frame part at the lower end thereof, for instance, by welding. The cross-member may be connected rigidly with the second frame part and attached to the lower end of the first frame part in a pivotable manner via a bracket. As a result of this it is possible to position the rear wheels at the same side as the front wheel in the carrying position in that the rear wheels are attached in the operating position at the rear side of the cross-member seen in the driving direction and the cross-member is, when the second frame part is folded up, pivoted such that the rear wheels are positioned by the guide rods on the side of the front wheel therebelow.
Advantageously, the rear wheels are hinged to the cross-member in a pivotal manner about approximately 90° by axle beams, wherein the rear wheels are rotatably mounted on these axle beams.
An electrical drive motor for the rear wheels may be integrated in the axle beams.
For extending the support of the transport carriage by the front wheel, the wheel holding bracket may be designed to be extended and retracted relative to the second frame part along the pivot axis of the wheel holding bracket, so that the front wheel may be extended in the operating position and retracted in the carrying position.
A support device for the operating position which holds the two frame parts at an angle relative to each other may be provided advantageously between the first and second frame parts. This support device may be designed as a toggle lever. The two lever sections thereof are pivotable relative to each other and hinged to the first and second frame parts. However, a different support device, for instance, in the form of a spring may also be provided between the two frame parts.
For comfortably moving the transport carriage in the operating position, a handle may be hinged in a pivotal manner to the free end of the first frame part, said handle being adapted to be pivoted away from the first frame part in the operating position and being pivoted back approximately parallel to the first frame part in the carrying position, wherein in the two end positions a spring-loaded locking device or a locking device provided with a snap device may be provided for fixing the positions.
At the first and second frame parts, a respective holding and/or support device for a golf bag or an elongate good to be transported is expediently attached, wherein, for the transport of a golf bag, a curved plug-in bracket to be plugged into tongues on the golf bag is expediently attached to the first frame part and a holder projecting from the second frame part is attached to the second frame part for supporting the golf bag.